Darren Kinnard/River Radio Sports Central
Russell Conwell/River Radio Sports Central
BENTON — Grant Owens allowed two unearned runs and only one hit over 5 2/3 innings to help Benton to a 5-2 win over West Frankfort.
Hunter Irvin’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the second put the Rangers on top. Benton then added a pair of runs in the fourth on a bases loaded wild pitch and an RBI ground out.
The Redbirds pulled within 3-2 in the top of the fifth, scoring a pair of runs on throwing errors, but Benton got those runs right back in the bottom half of the inning courtesy Kyle Thomas’ two-run single.
West Frankfort threatened in the sixth, but Trey Severin came on to get a strikeout to end the threat. Severin then worked around a Redbirds’ hit in the seventh to close out, securing the Rangers’ win.